A father shot three children to death on Monday before killing himself at a church in the California capital Sacramento , police said.
A fifth person was killed in the shooting, although it is unclear if it was related to what police called a “domestic violence” incident.
“The suspect in this case, who ended up committing suicide, had a restraining order on his wife, from whom he was estranged and the mother of the three child victims,” Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones told NBC Bay. Area.
All three minors were under the age of 15, police said. Local reports refer to three girls aged 9, 10 and 13.
Jones said the children had gone to Sacramento Church , in the Arden Arcade area of the city, for a supervised visit with their father.
According to local media, the authorities believe that the fifth victim, whose identity is still unknown, was the one who supervised the visit.
“At 5:07 this afternoon, we got a call that there was a shooting inside the church,” Sgt. Rod Grassmann of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told reporters.
“As far as I can see, at this point, this is a domestic violence related incident,” he said.
Police also said they weren’t looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting.
“Another senseless act of gun violence in America , this time in our backyard. In a church with children inside,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Twitter.
“Absolutely devastating. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and their communities,” he added.